On one of those days, as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they sought to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?" When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the man who was paralyzed—"I say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home." And immediately he rose before them, and took up that on which he lay, and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen strange things today."

The scribes and Pharisees had come to hear Jesus teach. St. Luke notes that they came 'from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem;'. They weren't necessarily a hostile crowd. They may have genuinely desired to be taught by Jesus.

God provides lessons when we least expect them. So He did for the scribes and Pharisees that day as they sat around listening to Jesus. As the men bringing the paralyzed man to Jesus could find no way to get close, they took a completely unexpected path. Up to the roof, they were clearing away enough roof tiles to allow them to lower the man right down in front of Jesus. Their faith wasn't going to be stopped by a mere roof. They had to get their charge to Jesus.

Imagine the thoughts racing through the mind of the paralyzed man as his friends lifted him onto the roof, tore through the tiles, and lowered him down. There is no record of what he may have said, but his trust in the ones who carried him to the roof and let him down before Jesus did not waver.

St. Luke makes certain that Jesus saw their faith, not their determination or drive, but their faith that if they could get to Jesus, the man would be healed. Jesus could see that they had a trust in Him that would not give up or quit until they got to Jesus.

'Man, your sins are forgiven you.' caused a stirring in the crowd as they whispered to one another. They questioned back and forth, 'He is blaspheming! Who but God can forgive sins?' Those were the right questions to ask, who can forgive sins, save God alone.

No sane pastor stands before their congregation, announcing, "By my authority, I forgive you all your sins.' Forgiveness comes only from the Father, who unbinds and restores the sinner. They asked the right questions; they just could not connect the dots between God the Father and Jesus standing before them.

'Which is easier,' Jesus asks, 'to say your sins are forgiven or get up and walk?' Which miracle comes from God? It is true, God alone can forgive sins. But where do you think the authority to heal a man who is paralyzed comes? Which is easier? In truth, neither is easy apart from the power and authority of God.

The man walked home, forgiven, and healed, for they are the same in the economy of God. Jesus' words carried the same power that called the creation into being.

St. Luke notes that amazement swept them all. They praised God for what they had seen, and with voices trembling with awe, they confessed the most critical lesson they had ever had. Strange things?, strange only as long as one resists the truth that Jesus is the Son of God.